Man In D.C. Cab Corruption Case Pleads Guilty

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A man who prosecutors say was a key player in a corruption probe of Washington's taxicab industry pleaded guilty to his part in a scheme to pay bribes for cab licenses.

Yitbarek Syume pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Washington to two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery, one count of bribery and another count of mail fraud.

Syume, of Silver Spring, Md., was among roughly three dozen people connected with the Washington taxicab industry who were indicted in 2009 over the alleged scheme. Prosecutors said Syume and others either paid or offered to pay approximately $250,000 in bribes to get licenses.

Federal sentencing guidelines call for a sentence of more than seven years in the case, though if Syume cooperates with prosecutors he could get a reduced sentence.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)